11 January 2016
To: The Director Town and Country Planning
Losana Rokotuibau
Re: Conditions of Approval for Shirley Park Lot 1ND 5149 Lautoka
I refer to the Conditions of Approval for the rezoning of Shirley Park which was sent to the objectors of whom I am one.
On the 18th December 2015, P Meghji commenced groundbreaking in Shirley [Park] behind an area of the park that has now been fenced off to the public.
On the 17th and 18th December and on the Monday week following (Monday 21st December 2015 ), I rang the office of the Director Town and Country Planning Suva, the office of the Director of of Environment Suva and on their advice the Department of Environment West Lautoka, and the Lautoka City Council building section
Among those I spoke to were several senior staff including Rajieli Taylor.
My query related to point 6 of the Conditions of Approval that states, That an Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA) Report is to be prepared in consultation with the Director of Environment. The Terms of Reference (TOR) to be prepared in liason with the Director of Environment. The EIA report to be lodged with the outline building application. Approved copies of the respective construction and operational management reports (CEMP and OEMP) shall be submitted to the DTCP for records of reference.
On the 18th December 2015, the Director of Environment Aminiasi Qareqare's office informed me that they had no known EIA assessment carried out or passed for Shirley Park, and I was to refer to the Department of Environment West who confirmed the same.
The Lautoka City Council Building section also confirmed that the EIA had not been done and that building application approval had yet to be passed.
I was also informed by the Lautoka City Council that the EIA would be done after groundbreaking.
I would appreciate an explanation of how it is that groundbreaking permission was given before any of the above conditions were first carried out?
Groundbreaking for the developer acknowledges and confirms all the Conditions of Approval have been met and complied with to proceed.
Information from all the relevant office's of authority concerned inform us that this was not the case.
Ms Raijeli Taylor Principal Officer Town and Country Planning informed me that that any instructions for ground breaking would come from the Director Town and Country Planning?
I was also told she would be consulting with the Lautoka City Council office on the points I raised, however no one from your office returned the call.
Point 9 of the Conditions of Approval sent to all the objectors informs us that, The balance Area of Lot 1 ND5149 and part of DP1805 shall be maintained specifically for passive recreation for the use of the public. The Lautoka City Council and any third party shall be inclusive in its design of the proposed passive and active recreational area and must work in collaboration with residents and ratepayers of Lautoka city so as to maximize the functional area of the communal open space.
I refer to point 9 and the Minister for Local Government, Environment and Infrustructure Parveen Bala's comments in the Fiji Times (19/12/15, which I also questioned in the Fiji Times 29/12/15 )
He confirms in this article that the remaining area of Shirley Park will be developed by Meghji Group into an 8 hole golf course and a children's park.
I would like to know how the Minister for Local Government and the Meghji group made this decision without following through with any consultation with the residents and ratepayers of Lautoka as per point 9 of the Conditions of Approval?
As an objector who was included in receiving official documentation that relates to the Rezoning of Shirley Park, I would also like to know if the Conditions of Approval that we received, stamped by the Director of Town and Country Plannings Office (22/4/2015) has since changed in any way.
Point 9 also states and includes an area DP1805, which was not part of the original area for rezoning and was removed last year when pointed out by the objectors.
Is this area included in the fenced off area, and if not, is this area to be resubmitted for rezoning to be included as part of the Meghji property ?
Maude Elbourne
President,
Lautoka Residents and Ratepayers Association
To: The Director Town and Country Planning
Losana Rokotuibau
Re: Conditions of Approval for Shirley Park Lot 1ND 5149 Lautoka
I refer to the Conditions of Approval for the rezoning of Shirley Park which was sent to the objectors of whom I am one.
On the 18th December 2015, P Meghji commenced groundbreaking in Shirley [Park] behind an area of the park that has now been fenced off to the public.
On the 17th and 18th December and on the Monday week following (Monday 21st December 2015 ), I rang the office of the Director Town and Country Planning Suva, the office of the Director of of Environment Suva and on their advice the Department of Environment West Lautoka, and the Lautoka City Council building section
Among those I spoke to were several senior staff including Rajieli Taylor.
My query related to point 6 of the Conditions of Approval that states, That an Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA) Report is to be prepared in consultation with the Director of Environment. The Terms of Reference (TOR) to be prepared in liason with the Director of Environment. The EIA report to be lodged with the outline building application. Approved copies of the respective construction and operational management reports (CEMP and OEMP) shall be submitted to the DTCP for records of reference.
On the 18th December 2015, the Director of Environment Aminiasi Qareqare's office informed me that they had no known EIA assessment carried out or passed for Shirley Park, and I was to refer to the Department of Environment West who confirmed the same.
The Lautoka City Council Building section also confirmed that the EIA had not been done and that building application approval had yet to be passed.
I was also informed by the Lautoka City Council that the EIA would be done after groundbreaking.
I would appreciate an explanation of how it is that groundbreaking permission was given before any of the above conditions were first carried out?
Groundbreaking for the developer acknowledges and confirms all the Conditions of Approval have been met and complied with to proceed.
Information from all the relevant office's of authority concerned inform us that this was not the case.
Ms Raijeli Taylor Principal Officer Town and Country Planning informed me that that any instructions for ground breaking would come from the Director Town and Country Planning?
I was also told she would be consulting with the Lautoka City Council office on the points I raised, however no one from your office returned the call.
Point 9 of the Conditions of Approval sent to all the objectors informs us that, The balance Area of Lot 1 ND5149 and part of DP1805 shall be maintained specifically for passive recreation for the use of the public. The Lautoka City Council and any third party shall be inclusive in its design of the proposed passive and active recreational area and must work in collaboration with residents and ratepayers of Lautoka city so as to maximize the functional area of the communal open space.
I refer to point 9 and the Minister for Local Government, Environment and Infrustructure Parveen Bala's comments in the Fiji Times (19/12/15, which I also questioned in the Fiji Times 29/12/15 )
He confirms in this article that the remaining area of Shirley Park will be developed by Meghji Group into an 8 hole golf course and a children's park.
I would like to know how the Minister for Local Government and the Meghji group made this decision without following through with any consultation with the residents and ratepayers of Lautoka as per point 9 of the Conditions of Approval?
As an objector who was included in receiving official documentation that relates to the Rezoning of Shirley Park, I would also like to know if the Conditions of Approval that we received, stamped by the Director of Town and Country Plannings Office (22/4/2015) has since changed in any way.
Point 9 also states and includes an area DP1805, which was not part of the original area for rezoning and was removed last year when pointed out by the objectors.
Is this area included in the fenced off area, and if not, is this area to be resubmitted for rezoning to be included as part of the Meghji property ?
Maude Elbourne
President,
Lautoka Residents and Ratepayers Association
